My last month volunteering with the Blackwood Foundation has absolutely flown by.

Working as a marketing intern provided me with loads of opportunities to get involved with projects which were related to my own skills and interests. I used my own initiative to get involved with a variety of projects which interested and challenged me, and in doing so, I gained a real understanding of how to promote, brand and manage a business. 

Some highlights of my time here at Blackwood included: being involved with customer scrutiny panels in both Edinburgh and Glasgow; filming and interviewing tenants for promotional material; analysing the effectiveness of email marketing campaigns and suggesting changes that could be made to Bespoken to increase engagement. 

As a recent graduate, contributing to results orientated tasks has given me greater self-confidence. Within the space of four weeks I helped to add two new entrants to the Student Design Competition by building relationships with universities and other public bodies. Similarly, identifying and building relationships with new stakeholders for the charity also proved enjoyable. I could hardly believe that a blind email I sent to the Labour office in Edinburgh resulted in Gavin Strang, a former cabinet minister, phoning the office and asking to speak to me! I even managed to convince him to speak to us on camera for a short promotional film we were making.

Although I have learned a lot about marketing principles and strategy, I have also learned how important co-worker relationships are in order for you to feel valued and happy at work. Everyone at Blackwood has made me feel really welcome. The staff allowed me to work on projects which were of interest to me but were always there to offer support and advice when I needed it. I really want to thank them and acknowledge the great work they do, not only to enable people to live more independently but also the opportunities they give young people to allow them to develop themselves both personally and professionally. 

I’m off to St Andrews to start my Master’s degree in Marketing later this month and I’ll be taking up employment within the town as well. Undoubtedly the skills, confidence and relationships I built at Blackwood will stay with me as I learn and continue my professional career. 

Thank you all and goodbye to the many friends I have made here at Blackwood.